Siri
by ShadowX116
Summary: Ten years before Alduin is expected to return, Odahviing hears a whisper on the wind. Following it, he discovers the voice belongs to a young Nord, though she is not Dovahkiin. (Not a pairing. Friendship at the most. Paarthurnax and a Dovahkiin make an appearance as well.) Currently on hold. 4th priority.
1. Siri

Trying my hand at a Skyrim one this time since I'm addicted to it. :P

Also, an important note, I have disabled the ability for guests to post on my stories.

_What? Why? How could you?! You hate us! T_T _

No, I don't hate guests or those who just don't feel like signing in. I recently had a Jurassic Park fic up that I know wasn't so great since it was a midnight write, but a guest using a name that obviously wasn't theirs posted an unclear review on it. It most likely was a negative one, but I would have liked to ask if I did anything right or if it could be salvaged.

So, I'm not disabling guests because I don't like them, I'm disabling it because I want to be able to contact you guys if something is wrong with the stories.

Please don't kill me. o_o

Oh, also, enjoy. Hopefully. *hides under bed*

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_4E 191 _

_20th, Evening Star_

_Log Cabin_

_North of Falkreath _

Snow nipped at the window sill as the only light in the room flickered. The girl shivered; drawing her blanket tighter around her. The book covered her tiny lap and held her favorite stories within its pages; the stories of dragons.

Footsteps echoed out in the hall. She panicked and blew out the candle as she dove under the thicker blanket on her bed. The door flew open with the light of a lantern spilling in.

"Siri, you better be asleep!"

The girl tried to stay still, waiting for Old Gretel to leave the small room. The footsteps marched closer; making her shut her eyes tighter. Before she knew what happened, the blankets were thrown to the side, and her favorite book was at the mercy of the home owner.

"So _this_ is why you're up every night. Well, we'll just take care of that," Old Gretel said as she moved out toward the fireplace in the next room.

"Please, Gretel, no! Not that," Siri sobbed as she jumped off the bed.

"You know the rules! Unless you want another beating and extra chores, you march yourself right back to bed this instant!" The old woman was now standing right in front of the fireplace and getting ready to toss it.

Siri barreled into her, knocking her down and causing the book to slide across the floor. She picked it up and sprinted back to her room to grab her thickest blanket.

"Damn you child! You're going to rot in the back room as soon as I get a hold of you."

Siri turned back to see the old lady get to her feet before opening her bedroom window and jumping out into the snow drift below. She wrapped the blanket around her and the book tightly and took off running into the forest. She knew Whiterun was up north somewhere, but not how far or exactly where.

After a few minutes, the chilling wind became too much for Siri, and she decided to go into a fallen log to curl up in for the night. She waited to hear the crunches of snow that indicated Gretel had followed. And waited. And waited…

Eventually, the ten year old believed she was safe and opened the book to where she left off. A large red and blue dragon filled one page and was accompanied by text on the other, though she could barely read. What little she did know let her read the names of some of the dragons in the book. _Odahviing, Mirmulnir, Iizstrunviing_, the list continued and each name was as unique as their scales and colors.

For hours she recited the names to herself, ignoring the reality around her to be with her friends. Her eyes grew heavy and finally closed as the snow stopped falling.

Early the next morning, Siri was awoken by crunching snow. She held her breath and clutched the book tightly to her chest, waiting for the crunches to leave. They stopped right by the log.

"Found you!"

Siri let out a scream and dropped the book in her hiding place as she was dragged out.

"Thought you could get away, did you," Gretel screamed. "Where do you think you were going to go; Whiterun to find a _loving family_ or off to the mountains to find your precious dragons? None of that junk in that book is real and you'll never be adopted. Grow up."

Siri kicked and screamed as she fought Gretel's iron grip. "Odahviing _is_ real," she shot back at the top of her lungs. That earned her a smack across the face.

"No, it's not. One more sound out of you, and you'll go without supper for a month!"

A nearby howl made Gretel stop in her tracks. She looked over toward the edge of the forest to see four wolves growling at her. The leader bolted across the snow with his pack close behind and tackled Gretel. Siri was thrown into the snow with the blanket covering most of her.

Gretel's screams fell on deaf ears as Siri ran back to the log and picked up her book. One of the wolves looked up from the old crone and spotted the younger meat making a run for it. He growled to a pack mate and bolted off after the girl into an open field.

oo00oo

The wind whipped across the rock and ice at the mountain peak, unrelenting even after the snowstorm the night before. A single observer watched in silence as the flakes danced across the clearing, over the rocks, and ended in the ripple of reality that twirled up into the sky.

"Paarthurnax," the observer looked up at the origin of the voice to see the hotheaded red dragon land in the clearing.

"Drem Yol Lok, Odahviing. What reason do you have for returning now," he asked.

"It _was_ to fight," the red answered. "Although it seems I have lost the fire for it after so long. There have been few battles since Alduin's fall."

The elder gray dragon gave a small hmm to himself. It had been over a thousand years since he had seen his dark older brother, and yet he did not miss him. Should he have since they were blood brothers? He let the thoughts fade and looked back up to see Odahviing looking at him expectantly. "Did you say something?"

"I asked if there had been any change in the Tiid Ahraan," Odahviing answered a bit annoyed.

"No, nothing," Paarthurnax went back to his meditation on the rock with carvings of the Dovah tongue etched into the frozen face.

Odahviing fidgeted in his resting spot. The cold did not bother him much, but he was just so _bored_. He had lost interest in terrorizing the mortals eons ago, shortly after Alduin vanished, the dragons he used to battle were hunted and slain one by one until he was among the last, and now he was stuck on top of a frozen rock with his boss's traitorous brother. Any other time, he would have simply attacked the ancient dragon for his actions in the past, but today, he wasn't in the mood for it. He just wanted to do _something_ besides lie around all day.

A whisper passed his ears. "_Odahviing _is _real._" He perked his head up. Someone other than a Dovah had spoken his name? He looked over at Paarthurnax who had also torn his attention from his thoughts.

"It would seem your name has not been forgotten," he mused.

"It is not a Dovahkiin though, yes?"

"No, I do not believe so. The voice is far too faint for even an unpracticed Dovahkiin."

Odahviing shifted in his spot, unsure of what to do.

"Perhaps you should go investigate," the older dragon sensed his restlessness.

The red dragon mulled it over for a moment before diving off the lip of the mountain and spreading his wings to catch the wind above the cloud line. His flight was short, as it usually was, and he dipped below the heavy dark clouds to look at the landscape below.

He found himself over a thinning forest blanketed with snow and various wild animals. A pair of wolves had caught themselves a meal, which appeared to be a deer from his perspective. Another couple of wolves were chasing... a Nord child? Not that he cared; he just found it odd a child would be out and about in the middle of the cold season.

The other two wolves broke off from what he now saw to be an older woman, and gave chase after the child. Seeing no others around, Odahviing went into a dive for a closer look. The small being had hidden itself under a formation of logs and stones as the four wolves clawed at any opening they could find.

If no one else was around, then it must have been the child who knew his name, he assumed. Curious that a youngling would know it when everyone else had forgotten, he thought. He gave out a furious roar as he passed over the pack. When he circled around, the pack had dispersed back into the woods. He slowed, and finally landed near the little one's hiding place.

* * *

So, Siri is indeed a Nord child (with black hair. Don't question game mechanics and options! x3).

Old Gretel was not her mother/grandmother. Just some old lady who needed a kid to do all the chores for her.

Siri also has blue eyes (like Odahviing's if they are blue. If they aren't, I blame unclear pictures and the fact most of my finished profiles were deleted by a certain brother who I shall not name here. :/)

Odahviing is portrayed as a hothead here because supposedly that's his nature in Skyrim. Where did I hear this? Straight from Paarthurnax's mouth when he said something about Odahviing not being one to refuse a battle.

I'm surprised there weren't more stories about Odahviing being an impatient brawler. I mean, sure he's a thousand-year-old dragon, but that doesn't mean his temper changes, right? Right? o_o

Oh, and dragons have amazing ears. If they had any. They just have ear drums on the sides of their heads. lol

So, whether you liked it or hated it, please review it! Every bit helps. :)

Also, have a cookie! :D

(::)


	2. The Dragon Wars

Hooray! Chapter 2 :D

It's short, yes. I may end up making them this way, unfortunately. ._.

So, enjoy! Hopefully. Maybe... *hides*

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Siri was still fighting to catch her breath after the wolves had gone. She didn't care why they had left, or that she had lost her blanket in the dash; all that mattered to her was she was alive, and she still had the book in decent condition. A loud stomping sound came from outside her hiding spot, and she drew in another breath.

"Meyz Mal Gein. I will not harm you."

The voice was deep and loud, though not overly so. She went to flip to the back of her book to translate the words, but thought better of it and climbed out of the wood and rock pile instead. Once she pulled free, her ice blue eyes locked with his, and she stood there speechless.

"Kiir, was it you who called my name?"

The girl's eyes and mouth went wide as she jumped with joy. "I knew it! I knew you were real, Odahviing, I just knew it! Old Gretel didn't believe me, but I knew!"

oo00oo

Odahviing was taken aback by the child. He had expected her to scream or run, and yet she was happier than ever, it seemed. He wasn't sure how to respond. If it had been an adult who clearly knew better, he'd have bitten them in half right then and there. A child, however, was another story for some reason. Akatosh knows how a young girl who most likely hadn't seen more than ten cold seasons knew his name when dragons were scarcely tall tales these days.

"Naal Akatosh, be still Nord!" He gave a huff as she finally stopped jumping, but was still smiling wide at him. "Now, how is it a Kiir like you came to know the name Odahviing?"

"I found this book," the dark haired girl answered, holding out the book. "It even has your picture in it, see?" She turned it to the page that indeed had his picture drawn on it of him in an aerial combat stance.

"Are there others in that book?"

"Sure! Hundreds," she answered. "I can't read all of them though. I can only read a few since no one has really taught me how to read yet. Gretel taught me only enough to read a message once, but that's all."

"What names _do_ you know then," he growled.

"Um... Well I know yours, Paarthurnax, Ii... Ii... Iiz-strun-viing, Mir-mulnir..."

Odahviing raised a non-existent eyebrow. She certainly had a difficult time pronouncing the names of the dragons he once knew. Iizstrunviing had been a particularly close friend of his, which was a feat in itself to achieve. She, too, had fallen though to the Blades many centuries ago.

"Kiir, what is your name exactly," he interrupted.

"I'm Siri," she answered. "Are there other dragons around too?"

The old red paused a moment. "I only know of one for sure, but there may be others in hiding. We are not held in high regard to your people."

"Why not," she asked.

"Have you heard of the dragon wars that took place a millennium ago?"

"What's a millennium?"

"That's a thousand years," he said with just a hint of impatience. She shook her head and he sighed. "Gather some firewood and I will tell you the story." He settled into a more comfortable resting position and watched her approach the edge of the woods to collect sticks. That's when it hit him. _How did I manage to get talked into this?!_

oo00oo

Siri came back with a third arm load of wood and stood it against the others in a cone shape just as Odahviing had instructed her to as the old dragon brushed aside some of the ice and snow for her to curl up with her blanket. Once she was settled, he turned back towards the firewood.

"Yol!" Fire flowed from his mouth and lit the wood in an instant. The young child giggled with delight at hearing the shout and inched a little closer to the warmth as Odahviing began the story.

"The dragon wars were not times of happiness, as you can imagine. It was during these times that dragons ruled the sky and earth of Tamriel while the Nords and the like served us. Or, more often than not, were killed."

"Why? Did they do something wrong?" The innocence of this child was almost unbearable.

"Well, no, they didn't. Our former leader, Alduin, simply believed that the Dov were superior in every way than that of the Nords and used that reasoning to take power. I was his right-claw Dovah." The girl's eyes went wide, though not quite of fear. She then looked to the ground, confused.

"That doesn't seem very nice. Why would he do that?"

"Because he was Alduin; first-born Dovah of the Lot Drog Akatosh. He felt that since he had such a title, he was entitled to power, and would stop at nothing to have it. Before you ask 'why' again, it's simply because he thought he was entitled to it. Not everyone is nice in this world, Kiir. The sooner you understand that, the better."

"You seem nice," she answered.

_...Humans._ "That is not a word most would use because of the role I played in the wars. I helped Alduin because I believe he is our true leader. He has proven his power more than enough."

"Is he still around?"

"Not exactly," he sighed. "His brother, Paarthurnax, helped to teach the Nords to use their Thuúm; their Shouts. Words of Power, like the one I used to light this fire."

"Yol?"

"Yes. In your tongue, it literally means 'fire'. Anyway, there were three Nords who learned to use their Thuúm, and faced Alduin in battle on the Throat of the World. When they believed they would lose, a fourth person used a Kel; an Elder Scroll to send Alduin to another time."

"What are Elder Scrolls?" Did this child not understand the gravity of the story? She must not if she was more interested in the unimportant details.

"They are difficult to describe. I have not seen one myself." He noticed the fire beginning to fade, and surprised Siri with another Yol on the half burnt wood.

"Can I learn the Th... the Thuúm?"

Odahviing paused a moment before saying, "I do not know. I am not one to teach." In the distance he heard the faint thumping of multiple horses galloping toward their location. "I must go, Kiir. Tell no one that you have seen me."

"But why? Where are you going? Will I see you again?" Siri looked genuinely worried she wouldn't be able to see her friend after this.

"I can make no promises. Tell no one, Kiir." With that, Odahviing lifted himself into the air with his powerful wings and was above the cloud line moments before the scouting party came into view.

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Like it? Hate it? Review it.

I can use all the help I can get. :3

Have a cookie. :D

(::)


	3. Riften

Three chapters in three days?! A new record! :D

Don't get used to it tho. I do have other stories I've been neglecting. T_T

Well, enjoy this chapter! :3

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Paarthurnax looked up as the beating of wings roused him from his meditation. He waited for the red to land before asking, "Did you find anything?"

"A Nord Kiir," Odahviing answered, slightly annoyed.

"Did you kill her?"

"No..."

"What happened?"

Odahviing sighed. "She learned of our names from an old book. She asked of our kind and our past with the mortals. I left her in the clearing when I had finished."

"You left her alone in the wilds to freeze?"

"A patrol was approaching. They will have found her and taken her somewhere safe. She will forget eventually, I imagine."

"Then why take the time to tell her the story," Paarthurnax asked.

Odahviing did not answer right away. "She was only a Kiir. It was... different than being around a full grown Nord who wished to battle. It felt strange to think of attacking her."

"Does this 'she' have a name?"

"Siri."

oo00oo

The horses came to a stop near the fire and spotted the child reading an old book.

"Sir?" One of the guards of Whiterun turned to his commander.

The one in charge got off his horse and walked over to the girl as the others spread out to keep an eye out for danger. Siri looked up at the guard and said hello.

"Why are you out here all by yourself? Shouldn't you be at home with your parents," he asked.

"I don't have any parents. The lady who took me in was attacked by wolves, and I hid in there until they left," she answered, indicating the logs and stones.

The guard noticed what she was reading and asked, "You haven't seen anything unusual, have you?"

Siri shook her head. "Nope."

Finding nothing, the patrol took Siri back to Whiterun after throwing snow on the fire. The lead guard had taken Siri to the Tavern, and bought her something to eat before going up to Dragonsreach.

"Did you find anything," Jarl Balgruuf asked.

"Just a little girl who was lucky to survive a wolf pack. I'm telling you, that priest is a madman. First is his antagonizing the Aldmeri Dominion with his preaching, now it's seeing dragons. What's next; giant snakes?"

The Jarl sighed. "Well, at least it was not a complete waste of time, Karl. I doubt a child would have survived the night out there. Has she no family or a place to go?"

"She says she is alone. The one who adopted her was killed by the wolves."

"Hmm. What do you suggest then?" The guard didn't know what to say. After a few minutes of silence, Balgruuf spoke again. "If no one will take her in, we will have to send her to the orphanage in Riften. Report to me in three days, whether she has found a family to adopt her or not."

oo00oo

_4E 191_

_23rd, Evening Star _

_On the Road _

_West of Riften _

The carriage rocked back and forth as it traveled the cobblestone road. Siri sat across from a Whiterun guard. Karl was it? She sighed. It didn't matter if she wasn't going to be going back to that city. She held the book tighter to her chest, refusing to let it go for even a moment. Looking up, she noticed it was late afternoon as they approached Riften.

The carriage came to a halt, and the guard hopped off the back. "Come on, Siri." The girl stood and let Karl help her off the cart, then held his hand as the purple robed guards opened the gate for them. Karl turned to her as the gate closed. "Now stay close. This is not a town for a child like you to run around in without an adult. This place is home to thieves, so mind your book." That got her attention, and she held the book tighter than he thought possible at this point.

He led her around the left side of the market place, past the Temple of Mara and the palace to the orphanage that was shaded by a tree. Karl opened the door, and a young woman in a yellow dress was prompt to answer him. "Yes, may I help you?"

"Are you Constance," the guard asked.

"I am."

"I've brought a child whose guardian was killed by wolves. She has no place else to go."

Constance looked at the small being hiding behind the man. "Oh, the poor dear. I wish there were someplace else she could go," she said with a heavy voice.

"Constance! Whoever is there, send them away! No visitors."

Constance groaned silently as Grelod yelled, and told Karl to wait while she spoke with her. "Grelod, it's a Whiterun guard. He's brought an orphaned girl with him."

"Huh, another one? Alright, take care of it then," she snapped.

Constance walked quickly back into the front room. "I'll make sure she's cared for."

Karl nodded and let go of Siri's hand, then leaned closer to Constance. Keeping his voice to a whisper he said, "I know Grelod the Kind isn't exactly true to her name. Siri here has this book about dragons. It's her prized and only possession besides the blue dress and shoes she's wearing. If nothing else, don't let Grelod take that book. She's been through enough as it is."

Constance nodded. "I will do what I can." She turned her attention to Siri and knelt down to her level. "That book must be very important to you." Siri nodded. "I promise I will do nothing to damage it. Grelod, however... well, she may try to take it from you. I would need to take it to keep it safe from her. Not right this moment, but at bedtime and chore time I would have to put it in the drawer. Is that alright?"

Siri gulped and thought it over before nodding. Even she knew it would be better to be separated for just a little while rather than lose it forever. She then turned to the guard and thanked him.

"Just be careful, alright?" With that, the guard left the orphanage.

Constance stood up and led the small child into the next room to a bed. "This will be your bed, Siri. It's the only one not filled yet." The girl climbed onto the bed, still holding her book. The young adult knelt beside the bed. "That book is about dragons, hmm?" Siri nodded. "Can you read it?"

Siri opened the book. "Only some of the names. Old Gretel didn't teach me much. She said I was too worthless to be fully taught to read."

"Maybe I can help with that," Constance answered. "Who is this," she asked, pointing to an ice and blue colored dragon.

Siri didn't need to look at the name to know who this one was. "Ii...Iiz..."

"Iiz-strun," Constance brought the girl's attention to the letters, sounding out the parts as she pointed to them.

"Iiz-strun-viing," Siri finished. "That's Iizstrunviing. She's one of my favorites."

Constance turned to the next page to find a bronze dragon with a light rose sheen to the scales. "And this one?"

"Peyt-krein-ag," she said cautiously. "She looks like a nice dragon."

The adult turned the page again. "And this?"

Without hesitation, she looked up at Constance. "Odahviing."

* * *

So, now Siri is stuck in Riften. *le sigh*

Like it? Hate it? Review please! :D

Also, have a cookie. :3

(::)


	4. A New Life

Okay, so I found a little more time than normal, plus a bit of luck.

Gosh I hope writer's block doesn't strike this one as well. _

Enjoy! :D

* * *

An hour or so later, five other children walked in the door and went straight to their beds; three girls, two boys. Siri saw that both of the boys were Imperials, two of the girls were Nords, and the last girl was a Khajiit. Constance gently took the book from Siri and put it in her bedroom where Grelod wouldn't find it.

Ice blue eyes followed after the book longingly as it disappeared behind the door. When she turned around, she came face to face with a pair of deep blue eyes and white fur with black stripes. Siri jumped a little in surprise, and the cat person laughed quietly.

"Hello." Siri poked out her head from under the cover to look at where the voice came from. "I'm Miyuki. You're new here. What's your name," she asked cheerfully.

"I-I'm Siri."

"That's a nice name. Where are you from? What happened to your parents?"

"I don't know," Siri answered quietly. "I never knew my parents. Just Old Gretel who made me do all the house chores for her."

"Well at least it'll be easier for you here then. I didn't know how to clean or anything when I first got here." After being given a questioning look, Miyuki continued, "Grelod the Kind runs this place. Here's a hint; she's not really kind." Quickly, she turned her head in the direction of Grelod's room, listening for any sign that she had been heard.

Siri's shoulders drooped when she understood her situation. "What happened to you then?"

Miyuki's ears went back a bit. "My parents died when bandits attacked our trade caravan. The only reason I'm alive is one of them didn't have it in them to kill a cub. I've been here ever since."

"Who are the others?"

"That one there is Soren," Miyuki said as she flicked her tail in the direction of the boy in a red shirt. "The other boy is Martin." She then turned to the other two females. "The one in the green dress is Kara, and the one in yellow is Lydia. Then of course there's me," she smiled.

Constance walked back into the room and stirred something in the pot. "Supper will be ready soon, children," she said softly. "Go on and wash up." The other kids dragged themselves off of their soft resting places as Miyuki jumped off Siri's bed and bounded off to the wash basin. Siri followed them and was the last to wash the dirt off of her face and hands.

When she walked back in, Siri was greeted with a small bowl of vegetable stew, though it was more broth than vegetable. Still, it was better than the plain baked potatoes and water Gretel had fed her every night since the start of winter when the price of meat went up. She gladly finished all of her stew and was put to bed shortly after. One by one, the children were put to bed as well, and the candles in the house had all been put out. Siri had to keep from sobbing for several hours before the effort finally made her close her eyes.

oo00oo

The following morning, Siri was rudely awoken by a screeching voice.

"Miyuki! How many times are we going to go through this before you learn to not steal from me?"

"I wasn't me, Grelod," a groggy Khajiit answered.

"Liar! I know it was you. You get extra chores today. Constance!" Grelod swiftly moved on to the next room, leaving the children in silence, and Siri wide-eyed. The girl turned to look at her friend and saw a look of dread and confusion on her face. Hearing the door knob turn, every child quickly resettled in their beds and tried to look asleep.

The footsteps beat past them and went behind a slamming door. A few minutes later, the kind adult walked out of her bedroom and got the children up. "You all know your chores," she said quietly. "Miyuki, don't worry about those extras." She turned to Siri and said, "The chores we do around here are sweeping, dusting, and sometimes working out in the garden. On occasion, Grelod sends children to the market, but rarely. Do you think you can handle any of those chores?"

"What's gardening like?"

Constance smiled. "It can be fun sometimes. I'll show you how it works." She walked over to the front door with Siri and Miyuki close behind.

"Gardening really is fun," Miyuki whispered. "It's the only chore that I don't think really is a chore."

Ignoring the cold, Constance led the two around the right side of the house to a small area fenced off with sticks. In the area were several mounds of darker soil, some of which had plants growing already. Miyuki dashed over to a tall green and leafy plant and started shifting through them.

"Found some!" Miyuki tugged something off the plant with a snap and produced a bright red tomato the size of her fist.

"Well done," Constance said. She turned to Siri, "This is a tomato plant. The fruit starts out green and turns red like this when they're just right for picking." As Miyuki worked on the tomato plants, the young adult moved over to one of the empty mounds and pulled a few tiny seeds out of her pouch. "These are Snowberry seeds. The red berries are used to make potions, and also make a nice snack. Usually we wouldn't plant these, but the winter season in this town makes the conditions almost perfect to grow them." She gave the seeds to Siri. "Make a hole in the middle of the mound about as deep as your fingers and then bury the seeds in it."

Siri followed her instructions exactly and patted down the dirt when she was done. "Now," the adult continued. "It'll be a few days before the bush grows. It'll take another week or so for the berries to start appearing." She moved onto another mound and took out bright orange seeds.

"These are Dragon's Tongue seeds. These will only take a day or two to sprout, and will flower by the end of the week. The bright orange petals are also used to make potions. A combination made with this flower and the Snowberries will make a Fire Resistance potion that we can sell to the market for a bit of gold."

Siri planted the seeds and then one more of each of them before looking at her teacher. "Will you show me how to make potions?"

"I can show you when these grow, but you'll have to wait a little while before you can do it yourself. You're a little too small to work on the Alchemy Table." They spent the next hour tending to the plants before going back inside with a few tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages and leeks. Constance took the food and began preparing dinner, setting aside a couple of the tomatoes and potatoes to grow more later.

The other children were already done with the chores for the day, and sat around the fire to keep warm. Miyuki seemed perfectly content to sit on her bed, unfazed by the harsh chill. After a few minutes of warming up, Siri went over to join Miyuki. "So, why was Grelod yelling this morning?"

The Khajiit's ears went flat against her head. "She thinks that just because I'm a Khajiit, I'm a thief, which isn't true. I've never stolen from anyone, but it's not like anyone would believe me. My kind is apparently skilled in being stealthy, and people just assume the worst of us." She looked away, pouting.

"Are you good at being sneaky?"

"Sort of," she grinned. "My parents taught me a few tricks and tips while we traveled, I just never had to use them."

"Like what?"

"I can step quietly, so no one would ever know I was right behind them. I can pick a simple lock, and I could pick someone's pocket if they were super distracted."

"Can you teach me?"

Miyuki gave a great big smile. "I think you and I are going to be best friends."

* * *

Like it? Hate it? Review it plz.

Every bit helps. :D

Here's your cookie. :3

(::)


	5. Runaways

Couldn't help it! Five chapters in four days! :3

Enjoy! *hides Fanfiction from Botany teacher*

* * *

_4E 192_

_1st, Rain's Hand _

_Honorhall Orphanage _

_Riften _

Siri pulled the stubborn roots out of the ground and pulled off whatever berries were still bright red and plump from the leaves. She picked up what remained of the bush and tossed it over the side of the fence before collecting the last pile of Snowberries the orphanage would see until winter. She walked inside and gave them to Constance who smiled and sat them in a bowl on the Alchemy Table.

"There's just enough in here to make five more potions. Well done, Siri." Siri's pride took an early leave when Grelod marched into the room.

"Get to work, guttersnipe," she growled as she brushed past the eleven year old. "Constance! We're running low on milk. We'll have to water down our supply-."

Siri walked out the door again and over to the market. Having nothing in her pocket, she paid no mind to the people around her until she got to the one she wanted to talk to. "Brynjolf?"

The red-headed Nord looked down at her. "Hello again, Siri. What can I do for you today?"

"Where can I buy milk?"

"Ah, running low back at Honorhall, eh? Don't worry about it. I can find some for you by tomorrow, alright? No charge."

Siri smiled, "Thanks Brynjolf. Also, have you seen any books called 'Tales of the Dov'?"

The Nord furrowed his brows. "No, I've never heard of such a title. Why do you ask?"

The girl shrugged. "Just curious. Well, see you later." She turned around and dashed back to the orphanage, leaving a confused Brynjolf to tend to his stand.

oo00oo

After supper, Siri was furious. Grelod had told her off for shirking her chores when she had in fact done them all before going to see the market. Of course, there was nothing she could do about it, but this happened nearly every day without reason. Miyuki had been locked in the back room for something else she didn't steal, and every one of the other children had been beaten in one way or another for other absurd reasons. Constance had been helpless to do anything.

That was the final straw, she concluded. She couldn't stand this place anymore. It was worse than living with Gretel! In the dark of the night, she slid out of bed and swiped a lockpick Brynjolf had given her from under a floorboard. She sneaked over to the door and spent about two minutes adjusting the pick just right to unlock the door.

Miyuki was prompt to exit the room and whispered, "What are you doing still up?"

"I can't imagine the others agreeing to this, so I'm asking you; you want to make a run for it from this place?"

"I thought you'd never asked," her friend grinned.

"Can you do me a favor then? Sneak into Constance's room and get my book out of her drawer while I get some food for us?"

"No problem," she said as she moved over to the door. Siri got to work, packing a few of the fruits, vegetables and a couple slabs of salted beef in one of the empty sacks in the front room. A tap on the shoulder came from her friend, and the book came into her sight. She took the book and hugged it tightly.

"Thank you so much. You can't imagine how much this book means to me."

"I think I can," her friend answered as she pulled out a silver amulet with a blue crescent moon symbol from under her shirt. "This was my mother's amulet. She gave it to me when I was around four years old. It's all I have left of her." She put the sack over her shoulder and hid the amulet again. "Let's go before anyone wakes up."

Siri opened the door, careful to make the creaks as quiet as possible, and slipped outside with Miyuki close behind. They shut the door quietly and dashed to the back city wall in the shadows. Siri tied the book to her chest with the makeshift belt around her waist and started climbing the cobblestones. Miyuki put the sack of food down and helped her get to the top of the wall.

The Nord child took the book off and sat it on the edge of the wall before laying next to it and reaching back down. Her friend passed up the food, and then reached for her hand. They made it over the wall with their gear just before a guard walked past where they were with a torch.

Miyuki didn't speak until his footsteps had faded from her ears. "Okay, where do we go now?"

"Do you know any places we could go that won't end up with us coming back here?"

She thought for a moment. "We can go to Guldun Rock Cave. It's somewhere near Whiterun. There might be some Giants around there, but we can sneak past them, and the cave goes in deep enough that we could live there without them ever knowing."

"How are we going to get there?"

Miyuki pulled a few shining gold pieces out of her shirt pouch. "Remember when I said I didn't steal from Grelod? I lied," she grinned. The two made their way over to the carriage and woke the driver from his nap.

"Please, sir," Siri started. "We need to go to Whiterun to help someone with their farmland so we can bring food back to the orphanage. Can you take us?" Miyuki showed the driver twenty coins when Siri had finished.

The driver nodded and took the gold and said, "Climb on back and we'll be off." They wasted no time climbing into the carriage. Eventually, they both grew tired late in the night and lay down in the back of the cart to sleep.

oo00oo

"Come on, wake up children." The two opened their eyes and yawned in the early dawn light as the driver woke them. "We're at Whiterun Stables. I'm afraid I cannot stay and wait for you, but there is another carriage that can take you back to Riften from here, alright?"

"Thank you," the girls said as they collected their things and hopped off. Once the driver had disappeared from view, they took off down the road.

"So how far is it," Siri asked.

"We can probably get there before midday," came the reply. "We'll be passing the Ritual Standing Stone. We will have to be very careful around there. Necromancers like to practice their skills there."

Siri gulpled and held her book tighter as they walked. Fortunately for them, there was no one at the standing stone today, and they decided to stop and eat something. They settled on an apple and a carrot each, opting to save the rest for later until they could figure out where to get more food.

Miyuki glanced at the river. "You think we could figure out how to cook fish?" Siri looked at her confused, then was bewildered when the Khajiit launched herself into the water. Her head bobbed up a moment later spitting up water. "Hey, dump out the stuff on a clean rock and toss me the sack."

Siri made sure none of their food rolled off the edge, then handed the empty thing to her friend. Another minute after going under, she came back up, the bag twisted shut. "I caught two of them!" They smiled as they repacked their food and headed up the path again, ignoring the fish flopping the bag around.

Miyuki suddenly pulled them into a bush as they came around the bend. She lowered into a crouch, signaling for her friend to do the same. They pulled forward, careful of the twigs, to look up the side of the mountain.

"The cave is right up there behind that big campfire. All we have to do is get past the Giants."

"How?"

"We might get caught if we sneak." Miyuki picked up a few stones and began sneaking up the path in the shadows.

"I thought you said we'd be caught," Siri whispered, horrified.

"I said _might_," came the answer. "I have an idea." They both positioned themselves just outside the camp behind a large boulder, out of sight of the large creatures. The cub drew in a breath, readied a palm-sized rock, and threw it as hard as she could against the boulder across the path before ducking back behind theirs.

The ground shook as the Giants went over to investigate the noise. Miyuki grabbed her friend's hand and made a dash for the cave. They made their way into the narrow space and down into another chamber just as the great beings turned around.

The two girls sat where they were for a moment to catch their breath before taking a look at their new place. "So," Miyuki started. "What do we do now?"

"We need to figure out how to get more food, and get some stuff to put in here, like blankets and knives and stuff."

A week passed, and they figured out the best way to get past the Giants was to either wait for them to leave, or sneak by when they were asleep. Miyuki insisted she be the one to do the sneaking part since she was more experienced with it. Every night, she brought back something new; some fish, a bit of hay here and there, a few eggs. Tonight, she brought home more than just something new.

On her back was a quiver full of iron arrows. In her left hand, she carried a hunting bow, in her right was a pickaxe. Strapped to her belt were two iron daggers, recently made as well. "Where in the world did you get these," Siri asked.

"There was a Khajiit trade caravan just outside Whiterun today. I traded some of the potions I got a couple days ago for this stuff. They said they're going to stay for a day or two and we could trade with them again if we want. The one in charge said they're looking to get food and potion ingredients at the moment."

"Nice," Siri said. She frowned a moment later.

Her friend looked up from unpacking the gear and asked, "What's the matter?"

"How are we going to survive here like this? Every day we will have to catch our own food, steal more stuff we need, and not get killed by those things outside." She was going into near-panic before Miyuki snapped her out of it.

"We can do it. Besides, if we leave, we'll end up back with Grelod again. We can make it work. We know how to cook basic meals, we can make potions to sell from the plants we find, and now we can learn how to hunt. I watched my papa use a bow before. It can't be too hard to use."

The small Nord curled up in her makeshift bed, holding her book. "What's the pickaxe for?"

"Expanding. If we're going to make a proper home out of this, we need room."

"But how are you going to-," the pickaxe clanged on stone, and half of a large rock fell to the ground. Siri looked at it, then up at her friend. "We'll need a shovel too. I'll go get one from one of the farms."

Within several hours, both children were hard at work removing the rock and soil from their tiny cave. The Giants had left a while ago, and supposedly would not be back until sunset. When they heard distant stomping, the two sunk into their beds, exhausted. Quietly, they shifted the last of the debris outside their cave, and fell asleep without eating supper.

Siri got up before her friend and cooked up some chicken eggs and fish by the large fire while the Giants were asleep. She used a flat stone as a plate to carry the steaming food back into the cave to find a frightened Khajiit.

"You could have been caught."

"But I wasn't," she said, setting the stone down. "I'm not helpless."

"I know, it's just you aren't a super sneak or anything like that, and you haven't had much practice."

"We can make it work."

* * *

Sooo, two 11-year-olds surviving in the wild, doing hard work, and doing okay the first week? Seems legit. :|

Eeyup! :D

Like it? Hate it? Review plz! :3

Haz a cookie. :P

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	6. Growing Up

Hooray! A new chapter! :D

I was actually surprised to see that you guys liked this fanfic so much. I'll try to not screw it up lol.

Enjoy :D

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_4E 196_

_5th, Second Seed _

_Guldun Rock Cave _

_Outside Whiterun_

The fifteen year old hopped from one rock to another, grabbing one ledge and pulling herself up to reach the next. A Khajiit followed quickly behind, picking her own route up the side of the mountain. "You can go faster than _that_."

The Nord female looked down at her friend. "It's getting icy. Think we're almost there?"

"Not quite," Miyuki pulled up next to her. "It would have been easier if we'd just taken the steps."

"It also would have taken longer to go all the way around to Ivarstead." They pulled themselves up to the next ledge and rested for a few minutes.

oo00oo

Odahviing peered over the edge of the clearing at the two beings sitting some several hundred feet below. He couldn't believe his eyes. That little Nord Kiir was there, and the book was strapped in her pack. No longer was she in a worn blue dress; instead it was light armor. Leather, he assumed. Somehow it seemed fitting for her. The Kaaz next to her was dressed in a similar fashion and seemed to know her very well.

"Is there a problem?" Odahviing turned to face the Ancient. "The Kiir I met five years ago; she's just below us, and not alone."

"Hmm," the gray nodded once. "What do you plan to do?"

"What _should_ I do?"

"That is a choice for you to make, Odahviing, not I. She is your Kril Bron Kiir who called your name, not knowing what consequences may have awaited her."

"For a Kruziik Dovah, you can be quite annoying and cryptic at times," the red answered.

"Aam? Not I," Paarthurnax inwardly smiled.

Odahviing sighed and thought over his options for a few minutes before settling down in his spot.

"You are not going to go after her?"

"No. I will wait and see if the Kiir will come to me."

Paarthurnax grunted in agreement and went back to his meditation.

oo00oo

"So, ready to continue?"

"Sure," Siri jumped up and began climbing the near-vertical cliff face once more; her friend climbing up beside her. It was not long before they reached a part of the summit they could walk on, and hiked up from there.

"Hear any goats, Miyuki?"

"I can't hear a thing other than you and the wind this high up you know that."

"Ha ha, maybe while I practice my sneaking skills, you can practice hearing," Siri giggled. A snowball planted itself in her face. "So," she huffed, "It's going to be that way, hmm?" She grinned, and the two went into an all-out snowball fight.

Another snowball hit Siri, followed closely with a tackle from its owner. The two rolled across the clearing in the snow, fighting playfully. In moments, the Khajiit had her pinned.

"You give yet?"

"Nope," Siri flipped over and got up, then realized they were both being watched. She felt her blood turn to ice and burn at the same time when she saw the familiar crimson scales in addition to tattered gray ones. Miyuki stood in shock with her.

"Drem Yol Lok, Mal Gein. I see you have changed much in the past five years."

Siri smiled at the familiar voice. "But you have not changed at all, Odahviing."

"You know him," Miyuki hissed out of fear.

"She called my name; a Kiir who knew it when no one else did," the red answered for Siri.

"He's the reason those wolves didn't get to eat me for supper as well." She turned her attention to the ancient gray. "You are Paarthurnax, aren't you?"

He nodded, "Ah, that I am, Siri. Odahviing spoke of you more than once over these last few years. He has watched and waited, though he may not admit it." He ignored the glare he got from the red and continued, "To answer your question, yes, the Thu'um can be taught. The next question is: Are you willing to learn it; to have the patience for it?"

"I- well-, right now," Siri's eyes were wide with surprise.

"It is optional. I am sure Miyuki is still recovering from seeing us," Paarthurnax answered.

Miyuki's left ear twitched, her pupils as wide as full moons. She shook her head. "I'm alright. It's just… dragons! I-I never imagined I would ever see one. At least, see one and live to tell about it."

"We would prefer you did not tell," the red said. "We do not wish to be hunted once again."

"Oh, I understand," she nodded. "We wouldn't want to cause a panic in the holds anyway. Can I learn this Thu'um as well? They are shouts, yes?"

"They are Words of Power, Miyuki. I can teach you as well, but it will require plenty of patience since neither of you is Dovahkiin."

The teens looked at each other, then toward the two dragons. "We aren't doing anything else today."

"Then I shall teach you your first word; Fus!" Paarthurnax's shout echoed off the summit with a crack of thunder. "In your tongue, it is Force. It is only the first of three words for its shout. Focus, meditate on the word and its meaning." The two obeyed, and sat to meditate in the clearing, not moving for several hours.

It wasn't until sundown that Odahviing showed a hint of concern. "Kiir? Kaaz?"

The two looked up in an instant, blinking away the snow that had settled on their eyes. "Sunset already," Siri asked.

"Indeed, Kiir," Odahviing answered. "I am surprised you both stayed in that state for so long."

"It will take far longer for them to learn to shout. Their progress has barely begun. However, since neither possesses the hide nor blood of the Dovah, they will have to be sent home for the night."

Odahviing growled in agreement before making his way over to the teens. "Climb on my neck and hold on." They both hesitated.

"Are… are you sure we won't hurt you," the same face from five years earlier appeared on the young Nord's face.

The crimson chuckled, "You will not do any harm. It is more than strong enough to support you both." Reassured, Siri and Miyuki both hopped onto his neck, and held on. With three powerful beats, Odahviing launched over the lip of the summit, and plummeted straight down the mountain side.

At the last possible moment, his wings flew open from his sides to catch the breeze, flying right over the Giants' heads. "How about we make your visits a little easier to make, hm?" The red dragon circled around and grabbed one of the Giants on its shoulders with his claws.

With several beats of his straining wings, Odahviing had the creature a couple hundred feet off the ground, and flew a good five hundred yards before letting gravity take hold of it again. He circled back to the camp and repeated the action, the bodies remaining where they rested.

He landed near the large campfire, breathing heavily. The two girls were on the ground in an instant, asking if he was alright or if he needed anything. He was flattered by the amount of concern they had for him, despite the fact they hardly knew him. "I am alright. It's just been some time since I last battled."

"Are you sure you're okay," Miyuki asked. "You could rest here for the night."

Odahviing shook his large head slowly. "If I stay, it is likely I would be seen. I can make it back to the summit. Pruzah Hahnu. You may come back when you find time." With that, he flew up into the night sky and around the summit.

"Strange," the Khjiit mused. "I never actually thought dragons would be so... _nice_."

Siri laughed, and the two settled down in their cave for the night.

oo00oo

As Odahviing came to rest in the clearing, Paarthurnax spoke. "I think you should be the one to teach them the Thu'um."

The hothead instantly snapped his attention toward him. "What? Why me?"

"You know her better than I. You went to her when she called you as a Mal Kiir. Because of that, you both share a bond even if you do not see it. I can, though. I can see that you change when you are around her."

"Change how exactly," Odahviing felt his blood begin to boil in denial of such an effect on him from a mortal.

"You do not boast or lose your head, for starters. In fact, you are calmer than I've ever seen you when you are around her. She is showing you patience, peace and kindness without her realizing it. You should teach her to shout. It would strengthen that bond and be better for the both of you."

Odahviing snarled and fidgeted, not wanting to admit the truth. What would others of his kind say if they found out he _cared_ about a mortal? They'd make a laughing stock out of him; one of Alduin's best fighters! He couldn't let that happen. _Still_, he settled into his sleeping spot, _I just can't seem to _not_ care about her_.

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Next chapter will be up soon. :D

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	7. D-Day

New chapter! :3

Enjoy :D

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_4E 201_

_17th, Last Seed_

_Stables _

_Outside Whiterun _

Odahviing had agreed to take over their training after a few days and had kept them learning and meditating many words for four years. They hadn't been able to shout, but they could now speak the words perfectly and had learned some of the normal Dovah speech as well. In recent months, Miyuki had stopped coming up to the summit. She felt that the Voice wasn't for her, and she often found herself too exhausted to meditate, let alone climb up an entire mountain to do so.

She instead took on most of the responsibilities, knowing that being with Odahviing meant everything to her friend, and she knew she had the better skill set to take the extra work. Miyuki took the odd jobs to make a bit of gold and traded with the caravans around midday when she could. It was when she was with others of her kind she felt the most at ease.

"Anything else today, Miyuki?"

The twenty year old snapped out of her thoughts. "No, thank you, Ri'saad. This should be plenty for now." The old trader nodded and let Miyuki be on her way home with a new dagger and some food. It was only a few steps later that the ground shook and lightning tore through the sky. She looked up from where she was and pinpointed the lightning coming from over Helgen.

oo00oo

Odahviing awoke around dawn to someone prodding his side.

"Get up!"

The red instantly lifted his head, though he was still a bit groggy. Paarthurnax never spoke so harshly. "What is wrong?"

"This is no longer a safe place for you to be, Kendov. You should seek out your old home and wait."

Odahviing turned his attention to the strange swirling time rip near the edge of the clearing to see that it had grown more intense. Without another word, he dove over the lip of the mountain and was gone in a moment.

The ancient gray resettled on his perch and waited. As each hour passed, the time wound grew in size and became more dense. Finally, around midday, black scales appeared through the anomaly.

"So, I see my Mal Zeymah is the first to greet me on the other side of this banishment. I will give you one last chance to redeem yourself and rejoin me. We can retake Tamriel; what is rightfully ours."

Paarthurnax shook his head. "I will not help you to destroy this world, Alduin. I made my choice centuries ago."

His older brother growled. "Then I shall start by-," he stopped suddenly. A new scent caught on the breeze. Realization hit him as the look on Paarthurnax's face changed to confirm his suspicion. "A Dovahkiin appears as I return? I will remedy that, and then you will be next, brother." Before the gray could do anything, Alduin had taken to the sky and was heading straight for one of the many towns Skyrim held.

oo00oo

Siri had gone to Helgen to see if there had been anything good in the markets there. So far, she had managed to sell a silver necklace she had crafted a week before, a few healing potions, and some salt. She stopped at one of the stalls, eying a beautifully well-made Ebony Bow. She was not a spectacular archer, but she loved using a bow and even managed to catch dinner with it on occasion.

"Looking to buy," the stall owner asked.

"Um, perhaps. How much is that bow there?"

"Three thousand gold, little lady."

Siri gave a small sigh. "I haven't nearly enough for that. Maybe I'll come back another time." She walked on and heard the creaking of a cart approaching. She stepped to the side and waited for them to pass by. Looking at them, she saw that many of the people were wearing Stormcloak gear. She had never really acknowledged the fact a civil war was going on, neither did she have a wish to get involved.

She spotted two in the last cart who were different from the rest. One was a dark skinned Nord with a look of terror on his face and dressed in raggedy clothing. The other was a dark-haired Nord much like herself, only his eyes were brown. They looked at each other for only a moment, but it was enough to see the sadness that had filled him. When she noticed for the first time that there were many Imperial soldiers in the town, she made her way back up the path.

Hearing the flapping of wings, she looked up confused; expecting to see Odahviing. A look of horror spread across her face as she recognized the World-Eater, Alduin. A moment later, the dragon shouted, knocking half of the people to the ground, and commanding meteors to strike the town. Siri picked herself and her pack up and ran as fast as she could toward the main gate.

Someone slammed into her, knocking her back down to the dirt path. She looked up to see the dark-haired Nord again who was running with one of the soldiers to the other side of Helgen. She swore under her breath and heard a sickening crack above her. The roof of the home gave out, and dumped wood and hay on top of her.

oo00oo

Miyuki ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the tiny town. She knew that whatever was going on would most likely be over by the time she got there, but she knew Siri had gone out that morning. She wasn't going to leave her friend's safety to chance.

As she ran past Riverwood, beating wings sounded overhead. She glanced up in time to see scales as black as night flying towards Bleak Falls Barrow. This new dragon was unknown to her, and for the moment, unimportant.

Miyuki barreled into what was left of the main gate and froze to the spot at the destruction that was once Helgen. The town had been almost completely decimated and parts of it were still burning. Many bodies lay in the streets; some burnt to a crisp. She shut her eyes at the gore and made her way to what was the market. A shuffling made her stop halfway there, and she glanced at a heap that was once a home.

A familiar peach hand worked its way out of the hay, and she pulled its owner out. "Are you alright, Siri?" She noticed a pool of blood soaking through the leather on her friend's left side.

Siri pressed her hand against the wound. "Other than this, I just feel sore."

Miyuki grabbed both packs before helping her friend to her feet and giving her some support. "We may have to spend the night in Riverwood. There's no way you're going to make it home by nightfall in this condition."

"What's wrong with a little nighttime stroll?"

"You know perfectly well what's wrong with it," her ears pressed all the way back against her head. "Now is no time to joke. We have to get to Riverwood, and we'll only get there if we go now." Her tone softened and she sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Heal me up and then rip me to shreds?" The Nord grinned.

Miyuki shook her head and smiled faintly as she helped her walk.

oo00oo

A heavy shade of pink-orange flooded the path as the two walked into the village known as Riverwood. Siri fought to stay awake and finally found something to focus on. That same Nord from before was standing on the Blacksmith's porch eating an apple. She scoffed as he turned away to speak with the owner, not noticing her.

Miyuki bought them a room for the night at the Inn and helped her friend lie down on the bed. It was much softer than her normal bed, and much warmer as well.

"Now don't move a muscle. I'll get us some dinner." The Khajiit moved into the main room before she could protest.

Siri sighed and stared up at the ceiling until her friend returned about ten minutes later with some beef stew, baked potatoes, and wine. "Erm, Miyuki, we're not exactly old enough to drin- ah!" Her friend poured a little bit of the drink on the wound before getting fresh cloth out of her pack to patch it up.

"Sorry. I sold the healing potions the other day. This will have to do until I can get more Blisterwart or Monarch Butterflies."

"Wouldn't have to worry about it if that prisoner out there hadn't knocked me down," Siri grumbled.

"Who?"

"That Nord by the blacksmith. He's the reason I got stuck under that roof."

"I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose." Miyuki sat the wine on the table and helped her friend sit up to eat her stew. "Your focus right now is to heal. Tomorrow morning we will have to walk the rest of the way home, and you know it'll take most of the day no matter which path we take. We might as well stop at Whiterun while we're at it and see if the caravan is still there. Maybe they will still have a few healing potions on them."

Siri huffed and rolled over to sleep when she was finished with her stew.

Early the next morning, she stood up in a daze as Miyuki checked over the wound. "It doesn't look infected, but it won't stay that way if we go wandering through the forests. We'll have to definitely stay on the path," she said as she put a fresh strip of cloth over it. "If the caravan isn't there, we may have to go up to the Temple. It may be a clean wound, but it's also fairly deep."

Siri groaned and walked out of the room with a slight limp after putting her leather armor back on. "Have I mentioned how much I really do appreciate you, friend?"

The Khajiit rolled her eyes as she packed the wine carefully. "You could stand to say it more often." Following the giggling adult, she kept a close watch on the cloth to be sure the wound wouldn't soak it before they would reach Whiterun.

They made their way down the wooden steps and down the cobblestone road toward the bridge.

"Um, excuse me."

Miyuki turned her head and blinked twice. If she didn't know any better, she'd have thought her friend had a twin.

The Nord came to a stop beside them, dressed in iron armor, minus the helmet. "Excuse me, but do either of you know where Whiterun is?"

Miyuki kept her words guarded carefully, sensing her friend tense slightly. "We're actually on our way there, Mister-?"

"Markus Dawn-Fire, but Mark works fine. And who might you two be?"

"I'm Miyuki," she shook his hand with her free one. "This is my friend, Siri."

Mark smiled and offered his hand to her. Siri smiled sweetly, and then punched him with all the strength she had in his stomach. The man doubled over, coughing, "What was that for?"

"For causing this back at Helgen," she growled, indicating her wound.

"You were at Helgen?" He finally stood up again. "Look, I'm sorry for whatever I did, but the Jarl needs to know about that dragon that attacked."

Siri opened her mouth to retort, but Miyuki interrupted. "We would be glad to have the company, Mark. You have a sword or a weapon of some sort, yes?"

"I have an iron sword and a hunting bow. Why?"

"The roads aren't always safe. Keep them handy; it's likely we'll run into bears or wolves around here." The Khajiit took the lead, keeping an eye on her friend while Mark watched the surrounding area for trouble.

* * *

Like it? Hate it? Review it plz. :3

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	8. Didn't Go As Planned

Pretty slow weekend. I hope everyone had a very nice Turkey Day though. :D

Soo.. this one is a mini chapter to kinda test out a new direction I may decide to take the story in. If yes, then a certain person in the chapter will be happy, and if not... well then I'll be devoured by her sister's birds. LOL

Also, a big thank you to everyone who has been reading this fic and leaving me nice little reviews. You guys are great. :3

Kurogawa Yumi, the bond will come into play soon. :)

* * *

Siri glared at Mark as they neared the city.

"I'm sorry," he said, sheathing his sword. "I didn't _ask_ for those thugs to show up. Okay so I may have 'liberated' a sweet roll from them, still..."

The group said nothing more to each other until they reached the main gate where a Whiterun guard stopped them. "Halt! The city is closed. Official business only."

"We have news about the dragon attack in Helgen," Mark said.

"You were all there? Very well, but we'll be keeping an eye on you." The guard unlocked the large wooden doors for them, allowing them to pass through. Once the gate had sealed, Miyuki turned to Mark.

"I will take her to the temple. I can manage it myself. You go on and do whatever it is you need to." The man simply nodded and sprinted off toward the great castle atop the highest hill in the city.

The injured girl had to lean on her friend at this point thanks to her previous injury, the new bruises and cuts from the thugs, and the toll the journey itself had taken on her. It was a wonder she hadn't been mistaken as a walking corpse.

Upon entering the temple, they saw that two very ill people were being seen to by a priest. A priestess came up to them. "Hello, I am Danica Pure-Spring. How may I help you?"

"My friend, Siri, has a deep gash on her left side, and many other smaller injuries. Can you help her?"

"Of course, of course, just bring her over here." The priestess led them to another area where she helped the Khajiit place Siri on the table. Danica carefully removed the leather armor and cloth. "Oh dear, that is rather deep, isn't it? One moment, I will have to give her a strong potion before I can begin healing her myself." With that, she disappeared into the next room, leaving the young adult to worry over her now sleeping friend.

oo00oo

The woman stood in the doorway, darkened more than usual. Her eyes fell upon the golden figure who watched the lands, not seeming to notice her presence.

"Do you think what I did was right?"

The twilight eyes grew wide ever so slightly as large amber ones met hers. "What is right really?"

"That does not answer my question," he sighed and turned away.

"Do I think you shouldn't have done it; 'tis not necessarily true. I wonder why you are asking me, and not your own brethren."

"You know why. They were all born under your sky; under your watch as well as mine."

"Not everything goes as planned the first time, but everything can be shaped the way we like in the end. Why do you hesitate now after thousands of lifetimes?"

The male inhaled deeply. "For the first time in thousands of lifetimes, I do not know what to do. I am not sure what action to take, especially after the era of my first-born. Now that he has returned to Tamriel, he may very well destroy her as well before the prophecy has been fulfilled."

The woman left a trail of stars and rose petals as she crossed the room. "You can choose to speak to-."

"No," he roared. "The result of that could be catastrophic. She cannot simply be told."

The female stiffened, pressing her lips into a thin line after being scolded. "Then a more subtle message perhaps?"

"What do you mean?"

The woman before him created a gem of a glittering violet night sky in the shape of the brightest sun. "A riddle if you will. This way, we can tell her, and yet she will not know it came from you."

The elder shut his eyes, deep in thought. He opened them again moments later. "What am I to do if she does find out?"

"Let nature run its course. Surely you knew she will figure it out eventually?"

"I did not think that it would come so soon. I suppose I can only hope it isn't too late." With that, the lady of twilight left the room to spread her colors across the skies of Tamriel once more, leaving the golden figure in a shadow of doubt.

* * *

I apologize for the short read, but the feedback I get from this will dictate how I write the rest of the story.

Therefore, it is EXTREMELY important you review, wether you liked it or hated it; member or guest, I NEED your feedback to keep this story alive. :D

So, haz a cookie, review, and haz a wonderful evening. :)

(::)


	9. A Choice

Might be the last chapter for a little while. I'm starting to lose my grip on creativity again. T_T

It was not easy trying to write in full Dovah speech, but I'm thankful I didn't have to write it in the Dovah letters as well. xD

Soo.. yea enjoy. :3 *hides because I wrote this at 11:30 at night which I know I shouldn't do under any circumstance*

* * *

Siri awoke under the cool shade of a large tree with sunlight filtering onto her face through the leaves. Around her was an endless sea of beautiful trees and roses, each perfect and unique in their own way. She stood and walked out into the field, careful to not step on any of the flowers.

_Do you know where you are?_

The girl looked around for the source of the voice. She saw no one, but felt compelled to answer anyway. "No, but this place seems oddly familiar." A shine below her drew her eye to the most amazing gem she'd ever seen. A smaller voice called to her, begging her to touch the stone, but she remained where she was. She knew better than to take what wasn't hers from whoever had the power to transport her from the temple to… wherever this was within moments.

_Go ahead; take it. It was made for you._

oo00oo

Azura sighed silently to herself when the Nord still hesitated. Honestly, how hard could it be for her to take it? She watched her take things all the time. Granted they weren't very valuable items, but still she never had a problem with it before. She willed the necklace to appear around the girl's neck and spoke again.

_This gem is yours and yours alone. Do not let it out of your sight; its purpose will become clear in time. It has special properties you will find useful for now, however._

"How will I-? Who are you? Why is this-?"

_The answers will come in time. You would do well to visit your dragon friend once again. _

"I don't know where he's gone. I haven't seen him in a while."

_Go to Falkreath. To the south and east is a wide mountain range. You must shout his name there with your very soul, not just your voice. This is the first task of many to come, should you succeed. _

"Shout? But I haven't learned to do that even after the years of training. How in the world will I-?"

_If you are meant to shout, you will. Go now, little Siri. I will be watching._

The world suddenly went white for the young Nord, and she found herself waking up to a priestess' healing spell.

"Ah, there she is. You'll be just fine in a few moments, dear."

Siri blinked a few times. Had it all just been a dream? It must have been. She was in the temple the entire time if she was being healed, right? What would one of the gods have wanted with her anyway? She wasn't anything special.

When the priestess left, she became aware of something slightly warmer than herself lying against her chest. Confused, she sat up and pulled from under the cloth the same violet colored gem from her dream; its ebony string strapped tightly to it and around her neck.

Hearing returning footsteps, she quickly hid the gem again. "You're free to go now, Siri. I've finished healing your wounds."

"Thank you again, Danica," the Khajiit said. "I'll try to keep her out of trouble." She led her friend out of the temple and down the road towards the gate.

"Where's Mark run off to?"

"The last I saw of him was when I sent him off to the Jarl. He must be busy with other tasks."

Siri bit her lower lip as they walked out onto the road outside the city. "Miyuki?"

"Hm?"

"Can we go to Falkreath?"

If looks could kill, Siri would have died ten times over. "Why in Akatosh's name would you want to go all the way over there; especially after your childhood?"

"I… had a strange dream. I was in this field of roses and trees and in the grass was a beautiful gemstone necklace. Someone told me to take it and go to the mountains near Falkreath."

Silence followed her words for a few moments as they stopped walking. "That must have been some potion she gave you."

"Just a potion, hm? How would you explain this then?" Siri pulled out the gem once again. The brilliant night sky within the stone sprang to life as if the very stars above had been placed inside.

Miyuki's eyes were full moons as her jaw dropped in disbelief. "Okay, let's go to Falkreath."

Before either could pull out a map, a deep roar sounded loud and clear.

"Yol Toor Shul!"

The two turned back down the path, running at full speed toward the western watchtower. There, they discovered the source of the shout; a dragon attacking the few soldiers left standing among the burning rubble of the tower.

"Mirmulnir!" Siri had realized too late she had spoken the name aloud as the grayed being turned to her.

"Aam? Ha! Drog Alduin Fen Werin Zu. He shall be pleased that I have finished my task quickly."

Siri shrieked as his jaws closed around her waist just tight enough to hold onto her. Miyuki was tossed to the ground as his wings allowed him to take flight, heading toward the remote center of snowcapped mountains.

oo00oo

The pain in her sides vanished momentarily before being replaced by a rough landing on patches of rock and ice. Despite her blood, it was still bitterly cold, and the middle of the night at that. She got up, only to be knocked back down to her knees.

"You will kneel before Alduin, Joor." Mirmulnir's tone was a commanding one with no room for disobedience. The beating of wings turned their attention to the sky as scales of ebony descended onto the peak of the mountain where they sat.

"Mirmulnir, Hiu Ahmik Zu Lot. Hiu Aal Daal Joorre Krii."

Siri shivered at the words as her kidnapper took to the air once more, heading back towards Whiterun.

"And now to deal with you, Joor, Mortal. You did not go unnoticed when I attacked that village. Tell me, Bron, why does your soul speak of the names of the Dovah when no others can?" Scared speechless, she did not answer the living nightmare. Alduin quickly grew tired of the pooling blue eyes. "If you will not speak, then I shall get answers elsewhere." He raised his head up to the sky. "Odahviing! Zu Mindok Hiu Kos Het. Meyz Luft Zu!"

Siri's blood turned to ice as her friend's name was called. Dread quickly followed when she realized there could only be three outcomes to this; two of which were not good. Hearing a familiar roar above the howling wind, she looked up to see the red land on the other side of the clearing.

oo00oo

Odahviing instantly knew something was wrong when he saw the girl.

"Traitor, Odahviing."

"Aam? I have never betrayed you, Alduin."

"Do not lie to me. I can still smell your scent on her armor from many seasons. You betray me in befriending this Joor."

"I have not. Why would I ever stoop so low? She is nothing more than a Joor that sorry excuse for a warrior Mirmulnir used to gain your favor." It was not much of a plan, but perhaps he would let her go if he made it look as though she weren't worth the time to kill.

"And I suppose she just _happens_ to know our names and words by sheer coincidence. Can you explain that?"

Or maybe it would just blow up in his face.

"Well, since this Bron means nothing to you, it will be no problem to dispose of her." Alduin grinned as he could see the shock and fear in his lieutenant's eyes. Good, he still had some control over the Dov after his long absence. "You have a choice, Odahviing." He turned to Siri and unleashed his full power of Unrelenting Force on her, causing the girl to fly over the edge of the mountain. "Choose wisely."

* * *

Dun Dun Duuun.

So, how do you think this one's gonna turn out? :D

Write a review and tell me what you think will happen next and how you think the story is progressing. :P

Also, enjoy your cookie. :3

(::)


	10. AN: Hold

Hello all. I really hate to do this, but I have to put Siri and my other stories on hold for now. With the holiday mess, a friend moving in and writer's block, I just can't keep up, and my work is suffering because of it.

See That Guy has brought to my attention that Siri, the character, is going in a direction I've been trying to avoid, and that direction will tear apart the story sooner or later. She's turning out to be flat and playing on the "poor me's" a lot, and I never wanted to make her 'perfect' or the 'always in trouble' one, but she's becoming that more and more.

I need to take some time away from FF and work more on character development that's been lost and my other works as well that have been neglected over this one. If I can't fix it, I may take it down or give the project over to someone else with better writing talent.

Again, I really hate to just let this sort of thing happen, but my creativity comes and goes with the wind, and I just can't keep writing when what manages to run through my mind doesn't sit right.

So, here's an apology cookie, and I hope I can fix this soon. :(

(::)


	11. AN: Poll In Progress Please Read

Hey everyone, just checking in. I know it's been _forever_ since I last added a chapter, and I'm sorry to say that I just haven't had anything come to me. I can't decide how to form ideas or for what first and it's driving me insane.

I really am sorry that I don't have anything real to post up yet, but I am trying to hold on to my flickering thoughts. To help (I hope), I created a poll for you all. I really need your help here if you want these stories to continue to grow and progress. I may or may not decide to dismiss one of them for the sake of the others, but I just am not sure what to do at this point.

Just take a moment of your reading time to follow the link to my page and voice your opinion on the matter. Please? For the sake of the cookies? :C

(::)

Cast your vote at: (www fanfiction net) /u/3860739/


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